In this holy city which is known as the ‘Karmbhoomi’ of Maharshi Patanjali who taught the world about the Yoga about 2,400 years ago, yoga practice functions were organised at several places including all the three universities, Railway units, central and state government premises, and others on the occasion of 9th International Yoga Day here on Wednesday. The police and para-police personnel as well as army soldiers also performed yoga practices.
In Banaras Hindu University (BHU), the faculty members, students, staff and others performed Yogasanas. A number of programmes were organised on the campus at faculties and hostels apart from sports grounds. The main programme took place at Malaviya Bhavan, where Vice-Chancellor (V-C) Prof Sudhir Kumar conveyed greetings to the members of BHU on Yoga Day. Registrar Prof Arun Kumar Singh, Chief Proctor Prof Abhimanyu Singh, Dean of Students Welfare Prof AK Nema, Honorary Director of Malaviya Bhavan Prof Rajaram Shukla and others were present.
In Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth (MGKV), under the guidance of V-C Dr Anand Kumar Tyagi, a music therapy camp was organised by Dr Durgesh Kumar Upadhyay, coordinator of the Music Therapy Cell and Research Centre of the Department of Psychology, at Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru playground of MGKV. During this camp, Registrar Dr Sunita Pandey, Deputy Registrar Harish Chand, Head of Psychology Department Prof Rashmi Singh and many others were also present. In Sampurnanand Sanskrit University (SSU), ex-VC of MM University, Solan, Prof PK Bansal was chief guest who said that to achieve mastery in action is Yoga. Special guest Yogacharya Rakesh Pandey said that Yoga is a way to know and understand spiritual India while the registrar Rakesh Kumar also addressed the function.
Under the Varanasi Division of North Eastern Railway (NER), with the theme of ‘Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ programmes were held at major stations, training centres and diesel lobbies. At Officers’ Club here, yoga programme was held under the leadership of Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Ramashray Pandey. At Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), yoga exercises were conducted by different yoga instructors in various places like Officers Club, Technical Training Centre and BLW Inter College. The chief guest of the programme held at BLW Officers’ Club was General Manager (GM) Basudev Panda. The Yoga Day was celebrated enthusiastically by the Department of Posts in various post offices and the main function was inaugurated by Postmaster General (PMG) Krishna Kumar Yadav at the Regional office located at Varanasi Cantt Head Post Office.
At 95 Battalion Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the yoga programme was attended by Commandant Anil Kumar Briksh and his wife Dr Bindu. Hundreds of students of the madrasa performed Yoga at Madrasa Daryatul Islah Chirage Uloom, Rasoolpura in which senior office-bearers of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) were present. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also organised yoga progarmmes at different assembly constituencies.